Chapter One

Wolf

Days and nights have just morphed together; I can’t say how long it’s been since I had a warm meal or didn’t walk into a town and get uncomfortable, unwelcome stares from most folks there.

The truth is, yeah, I suppose I look fucking terrible; I probably reek something awful, too. I’ve been up in the mountains so long that I’ve started looking like I belong there; in a way, I guess I do. When I do make my way into a passing town, being butt-ass naked probably won’t go down well, so I tend to help myself to the occasional clean clothes off someone’s wash line; it usually only happens when I sneak myself into towns to grab some food, and by grab, I mean it, quite literally.

Being a mutt in the mountains doesn’t exactly come with a steady income. Out here, it’s survival, and food is never as plentiful as you’d think. Should my conscience nag at me for taking what isn’t mine? Probably. But the reality is, it’s this or walking around naked in my human form. My last decent set of clothes got shredded during an emergency shift—mid-chase, no less. And yeah, I was the one running, bolting away from yet another pack of wolves who, surprise, didn’t want me on their territory.

I don’t enjoy being a thief, but sometimes it’s the only option. It’s either take what I need or go hungry, starve to death, or freeze in the cold. I only ever take the bare minimum. I’m not greedy, but necessity doesn’t leave much room for morals. No one's ever offered me a job, not in any of the alpha-controlled towns. It’s a brick wall every time. 

So, when people judge someone for stealing to survive, it just shows how little they understand. Until you’ve lived with nothing—no food, no shelter, no one to throw you a lifeline—you don’t get to pass judgment. You can't know what it's like unless you've been left to fend for yourself in the wild.

So here I am, walking into yet another shitty little town filled with mundane humans, each one giving me that *look.* You know the one—like I don’t belong here, like I’m a stray dog that’s wandered into the wrong yard. No doubt this place is under the rule of some alpha whose head is inflated to match his oversized ego. I mean, sure, I need some soap and clothes that actually fit—because the ones I just swiped off someone’s wash line are cutting off circulation—but damn, do I really smell that bad? I take a quick sniff and wince. Yeah, okay, maybe I do.

And then, out of nowhere, like the universe itself is mocking me, I hear this voice—so clear, so melodic, it’s like she’s speaking directly into my head instead of right behind me. It’s the kind of voice that makes you stop dead in your tracks, the kind that messes with your balance.

“Jeez, don’t they believe in soap and water where you come from?” she says, her tone dripping with playful disdain.

I spin around, my brows furrowing, already thrown off by the nerve of whoever just called me out. And then—bam. I’m staring down at her, blinking like an idiot as my brain tries to catch up. Standing in front of me is the most breathtakingly beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. My thoughts stutter, like they’re stuck in neutral. I blink once, twice, expecting her to vanish like some sort of mirage.

But she doesn’t. She’s real, and now I’m not sure whether to laugh, apologize, or just stand there like an idiot.

My breath hitches in my throat the instant her scent invades my senses. It’s overwhelming—so much so that I instinctively take a step back, and she catches the movement, her eyes narrowing with curious suspicion. I’m too stunned to speak, completely thrown off that she even acknowledged me, much less spoke to me. I can’t remember the last time someone from a pack, let alone an alpha, bothered to address me like this. Usually, the only words I hear are insults, commands to get lost, or worse. But this... this is new.

Her voice still echoes in my mind, sweet and teasing, and I can’t even begin to process a response. My brain's stuck, fumbling, my mouth completely useless. I’m standing here like some dumb, mute idiot, just staring at her, while the only thing I can register is her scent. It's intoxicating, something primal in me stirring to life.

Our eyes meet again, and I’m instantly lost in the swirling emerald depths. Her wolf is just behind them, watching me, daring me. It’s almost enough to make me forget how to breathe as my jaw goes slack. I force myself to blink, hoping to snap out of it, but it’s no use. My gaze slips from her eyes, slowly, almost involuntarily, raking over her entire frame.

She’s tiny, delicate even—at least half my size—but there’s something fierce in her, something powerful just beneath the surface. Her long black hair cascades down to her lower back, and I can’t help but imagine what it would feel like to run my fingers through it, how it would slip through my hands like silk. A flash of something darker crosses my mind—grabbing a handful, tugging her close. Fuck. I shove the thought away, but my beast... he’s fully awake now, his ears perked up, interested in ways that I shouldn’t be.

My gaze drifts back to her lips, and I swallow hard. They’re full, lush, practically begging to be kissed—or bitten. Goddamn it. I need to pull myself together, but every inch of me is buzzing with tension, and my wolf is pushing harder, wanting something I’m not sure I can deny.

Fuck.

My heart immediately stutters as her scent invades my senses—fuck, fuck, fuck. She smells so damn good. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but my wolf is already hooked, and I’ve committed it to memory, like it’s something I’ll need later. The scent is stuck in my head, lingering. I make a mental note to figure out what the hell it reminds me of.

I’m still lost in my own thoughts when she clears her throat, snapping me back to reality. That’s when I realize I’ve been staring at her lips way longer than I should’ve. Shit. I’m just standing here, looking like an idiot while she waits for a response, her gaze steady, almost questioning.

Oh yeah, she asked me a question…

“I…” I stammer, forcing my eyes up from her lips to meet hers again. Emerald green. Fucking hell, Wolf, get it together. She’s just a girl, I remind myself. But deep down, I know that’s a lie. She isn’t just a girl—she’s a wolf, and her presence this close is messing with my head in ways I didn’t expect.

Her eyes narrow slightly, and a smirk tugs at the corners of her mouth. It’s teasing, taunting almost, and the grin she gives me sets something off inside me.

“What, cat got your tongue?” Her voice is playful, but that sass in her tone has my dick twitching in these goddamn tight jeans, making things a hell of a lot more uncomfortable than they already were. I grit my teeth and furrow my brows, trying to regain some kind of composure.

“I’m just passing through,” I blurt out, shaking my head like I can dislodge whatever spell she has on me. “I won’t take up too much of your time. Just looking to get something to eat, so, you know… no need to call the cavalry.”

The words tumble out faster than I can control, a mess of thoughts I didn’t plan to say out loud. Fuck, I must sound like such an idiot.

Scoffing, she playfully raises her brows as a grin spreads into a curious smile.

“I didn’t ask whether or not you were leaving, and don’t worry; I wasn’t about to order you to get out of town with your tail between your legs, either. I was asking…”

“If I know how to use soap and water, yeah, I got that part, and the answer is yes.” I abruptly cut her off, smirking as I suddenly remember the first damn question she asked, albeit it was more like a snarky remark than a question. She tilts her head, curiously eyeing me as she crosses her arms.

“Well, he can speak, remember questions, and has a sense of humor—impressive. So tell me, where exactly were you planning on getting something to eat?” I’m still mesmerized by her, but I quickly force myself to look away. When I turn my head to the side, my eyes land on a diner not too far from where I’m standing, and I tilt my chin up with a nudge in the direction of said diner.

“Over there, I guess.” Only then do I notice that the diner is smack-dab between a hair salon and some clothing outlet. I can’t help but smirk at the irony. She gives me a look of disbelief when she smirks.

“You don’t plan on going there dressed like that, do you? Even here in Sitka, we have standards.” The sarcasm dripping off this girl’s tongue is enough to have me wanting to take her in my arms and… Fuck. ‘Stop it, Wolf,’ I scold myself internally. This girl is sharp and not meant to even talk to someone like me, but I can’t help wanting to engage with her; there’s something about her. Smirking, I playfully narrow my eyes as I tilt my head back toward her.

“Don’t worry; I wasn’t planning on going in.” The instant confused look she gives me is comical, mainly because I just said I’m grabbing something to eat, and then I do a complete one-eighty by saying I’m not going in.

“We’ll see about that.” Her voice trails off in confusion.

“I’m sure they have plenty of food they throw away out the back; I should be able to scrummage up a decent platter for two. If you’d like to join me, you’re more than welcome.” Scrunching up her nose in distaste, she shakes her head, that same confused look still etched across her face. My expression remains unchanged as I stare at her, and then the penny drops the moment she realizes I’m being dead serious and not joking.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Narrowing my eyes, I take a step toward her, and she doesn’t step back, true to her nature—only confirming what I already suspected to be true… Alpha female.

““Does it look like I’m joking? We can’t all be daddy’s little princess, getting taken care of all the time, can we? Some of us don’t have it as easy as others.”She blinks back in surprise, and there’s this moment of awkward silence that stretches out between us. I swear I’ve never hated my disposition in life more than in this moment; a breathtakingly beautiful she-wolf is standing right in front of me, giving me the time of day, only for her expression to change from interest to pity in a heartbeat. Sighing, I lower my eyes to the ground; as I said, it is what it is, and I made peace with it long ago.

Her next words hit me like a ton of bricks.

“Okay, tell you what; I’ll let you come in and get something to eat if you agree to one thing.” My eyes dart to hers, and the glimmer of curiosity behind them makes me perk up.

“Sure, what’s that?” The faintest flicker of a smile graces her lips.

“Clean yourself up first. You look like you’ve been living in the wild for a month.” She shrugs casually before adding, “And for the record, I wouldn’t be doing this for just anyone, but I don’t like people who have to resort to scrounging for food. I’ll get you a clean pair of clothes after breakfast too, and don’t worry; I won’t take up too much of your time.” I find myself unable to stop the smile that stretches across my face; there’s something about her that makes me want to smile. So for once, I give in to the feeling. I guess I’ve got nothing to lose, and it’s not like I’m going to refuse something so rare.

“If that’s all it takes, I’ll be happy to take you up on that offer.” A sly smile spreads across her face, and without another word, she turns on her heel and heads into the diner, leaving me standing there with a strange mix of relief and apprehension.

I guess it’s time to take a chance.